Peverelist - IDLE050

Peverelist - IDLE050
The 50th release on Idle Hands comes with something of a love letter from Kowton. It recalls his early days in Bristol, where he experienced the closing of the beloved Rooted Records shop and the opening of its spiritual successor, Idle Hands. They weren't easy times. Kowton describes "cashing up at the end of the day and having to phone Chris [Farrell] and explain why it was we'd only taken £25 that day and made a loss." But Idle Hands and its self-titled label persevered, blossoming into one of Bristol's most important musical institutions.

Back in 2009, Idle Hands launched with a Peverelist EP. 49 records later, he returns. It's hard to resist comparing IDLE050 to IDLE001. Both feature two tracks from Peverelist, one moody and the other unusually bright and playful. "Left Hand" is this record's "CM3 Skank," trading its predecessor's digidub groove for a brittle descending chord progression that dances around lightweight drums and screeching whistles. It's the closest that Peverelist comes to happy-go-lucky.

"Right Hand" is the counterpoint, a classic Peverelist moody banger. There's something comforting about its swooping kick-snare pattern and pulsing ride cymbal, both Peverelist trademarks. It's like a soothing salve to those who have been following Idle Hands and the larger Bristol scene since the early days. Taken with that essay from Kowton in mind, IDLE050 is more reflective than forward-looking. But when you have something as special as Idle Hands, you should take stock once in a while.